Lamar Jackson needs surgery and is headed to injured reserve due to a thumb injury suffered in the loss to Bills.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson left Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills with a right thumb injury suffered on Baltimore’s first offensive play.
He will need surgery to repair his injury and will have to remain on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least four weeks. Head coach Jesse Minter announced the update following Baltimore’s 36-10 loss to the Bills.
Advertisement
The Ravens have not announced the precise nature of Jackson’s injury, and Minter did not yet know whether it would end the season.
“We’ll see,” Minter said.
Jackson injured in first play following return from injury
Jackson made contact with his hand after his first pass of the game and immediately felt pain. He left the field and headed straight to the locker room. Huntley took his place at quarterback.
The Ravens quickly ruled out Jackson and found themselves dealing with emergency third-string quarterback Joe Fagnano. before halftime after replacement Tyler Huntley left with a toe injury in the second quarter.
The Ravens initially announced that Jackson’s return was questionable due to a thumb injury before ruling him out before the conclusion of the first quarter. The injury involves his throwing hand.
Advertisement
Ravens are left with undrafted rookie QB
Huntley led Baltimore’s offense throughout the first quarter before being sidelined early in the second with a toe injury he suffered during a tackle. The Ravens initially considered him a questionable return before ruling him out at halftime.
Fagnano took over Baltimore’s offense with Buffalo holding a 13-7 lead and finished out the game. Fagnano is an undrafted rookie out of Connecticut who signed with Baltimore as a free agent. He completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards with 1 interception and no touchdowns.
Fagnano had never played a snap in the NFL before Sunday and was not active Sunday, but was listed as Baltimore’s emergency quarterback. Under NFL rules, Huntley would have been allowed to return to the game if he had been medically cleared, but that point was moot when he was ruled out before the third quarter.
Advertisement
Another serious injury for Jackson
Jackson returned to the Baltimore sideline after halftime in street clothes and with a splint on his injured thumb.
A two-time NFL MVP, Jackson was playing in his first game since suffering a sprained ankle in Week 4 that caused him to miss three games. He returned to the 4-3 Ravens in time for the critical AFC showdown against Josh Allen and the Bills, but now he faces another extended absence.
The injury is another blow to Jackson and a Ravens team looking to compete for a Super Bowl championship. Jackson is one of the best players in the game when healthy, but injuries have derailed his last two seasons.
Advertisement
Jackson missed four games last season and was limited in several others due to leg and back injuries. The Ravens were projected as Super Bowl contenders last season, but finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs.
The Ravens were expected to compete for a Super Bowl again this season, but they will struggle just to make the playoffs at 4-4 and with Jackson injured. Jackson, 29, is playing in the fourth year of a five-year, $260 million contract.
Team owner Steve Bisciotti has expressed his desire to make Jackson a lifelong Raven, but the two sides have reportedly not engaged in substantial contract negotiations.
Gn sports
